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The trip back was long and difficult, but we made it. On Monday morning we managed to get in a last-minute trip to the Grand Bazaar to get gifts for various people before leaving town. Haggling is a must, and not as difficult as you might think. Typical pattern seemed to be approx. 25% to 33% off whatever the list price was. We got several old copper plate etchings and some tiles. I was also very pleased to find an inexpensive inlaid koran stand that will be perfect for the Contemplative Eucharist or any other situation where I was to read while sitting on the floor.

Packed up the flat in a hurry and then off the airport to wait for our flight to London. Easy Jet is one of those discount, no-frills airlines. I ended up sitting next to a man that was really too big for the seat. I was glad, glad, glad to arrive in London (at the Lutton airport). We missed our bus and had to wait for the next one, so we grabbed a bit of nosh and checked out the chapel at Lutton. Yes, Lutton airport has a chapel (so does Heathrow). They even have a full-time chaplain. The chapel was set up to be a multi-faith resource. Judging from the guestbook, it sees plenty of use.

We took the bus to Heathrow and spent the night in a shabby (but cheap) hotel with thin walls and a crummy mattress. Tuesday morning we took another bus to Heathrow and then parted ways (we booked our flights at different times and couldn't get on the same flights as a result). I went to Ottawa, Betsy to Newark. We were then both delayed many hours by thunderstorms over Toronto. I spent the time eating Airport food, sipping a drink, and reading Salmon Rushdie's new book, The Enchantress of Florence. It's a good book--very much in the style of magic realism. It's an entertaining fairy-tale for adults about the encounter between the world of renaissance Florence and Mughal India. Lots of magic and sex and humor and reflections about God and art and such good stuff.

At one point my flight from Ottawa to Toronto on the tarmac for about 2 hours while we waited for the weather to change. When it did, the flight was blessedly short. Just 40 minutes in the air. Met up with Betsy at the baggage claim. At that point it was like 5 A.M. Istanbul time, so we were pretty tired and ripe from traveling.

Cab home. Quick to bed. The cats cuddled with us in bed--glad to have us back. Today we are going to do some errands and recover. The house is in wonderful shape thanks to our house-sitters. We are glad to be home. Nice to be able to drink the water straight from the tap, etc. Incidentally, Betsy is feeling much better.

-t